San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-03-19
SPECIAL SESSION.
The oficial Budget For the Coming Year
One Hundred and Fifty Thou
sand Dollars More Needed.

The special session OF the city council con.
vened yesterday and went TO work on the
city's finances with will. kalteyer and smye
were absent. The finance committee, through
Col. Belknap, p esented the following report:
Gentlemen OF the Council:
In making up the bud ct for this fiscal year,
1887, we are actuated by the one desire of
keeping our annual expenditures SUCH that a
tax of 81 25 per hundred dollars will cover all
our customary expenses.
Outside OF the usual appropriations we ask
for viz: $4,000 OF an anticipated revenue OF
s265 900 for this fiscal year. the council must
bear in mind certain requirements are ex-
pected by our items that are absolutely ur-
gent and OF immediate Importance.
The cour's have restrained you from soillng
the prairies, as hitherto, with the accumulated
filth and garbage ~ this city--a question that
all inland cities must tackle what TO do with IT.
you must build two furnaces-one on the east
one on the west side OF the city. Machinery
for sweeping streets must be had-also for
better preserving streets. The revenue
of the city will not admit of these
taxes greater than 81 u, which can not be in.
creased without ,rdship to the many. This
question must be met and determ ned for
resolution asking the taxpayers to vote $780,
900 for these purposes set forth, including at
the same time the amount required for CON-
We can acquire all these things, which are
OF vital Importance TO the health and comfort
of a city, on our bonds and still keep tax rates
benefits and comfort without feeling that the
cost was great.
We have a difficult task, because of the bur.
den imposed upon the city for operating a
large hospital, that may cost from $4,000 to
10000 a year, a question hard to determine
until an experience has been acquired from
one or more years trial.
The near approach of epidemics and fear OF
them, has actuated this committee In making
every effort towards promoting and preserv-
ing the health of this city. To this end we
have asked a sanitary Inspector for each
ward and appropriate our street and bridge
fund entirely for the purpose of maintaining
clean streets and good repair. We leave you
larger contingent fund than last year to
draw upon for such work as you may require
the street commissioner to perform.
We have made new appropriation not in
cuded In former years, viz: For purposes Of
keeping the parks in good order and repair.
The fire department have asked for addi-
tlonal appropriations for ether paraphernala
needed. We have left same for the council to
act on, when the demand Is made In the
proper way.
The item 'city Offices" will strike you as
largely increased, but in explanation the COM
mittee desires to say that they have placed
this year all elective and appointive officers,
l. Q, heads of departments, In one class,
hitherto they had been divided as a part of
each department.
We ask you to listen to the reading of the
budget, and to approve same as we have made
II, believing we have gone to the limit in its
magnitude, l. e., as far as the best interests of
the city will at present warrant.